Nashville council votes to reinstate Black Tennessee lawmaker

NASHVILLE — Local officials voted Monday to reinstate one of the two Black Democratic lawmakers expelled by Republican state lawmakers for leading a gun-control protest on the House floor after a fatal school shooting.

The vote by the Nashville Metro Council to give Rep. Justin Jones, 27, his job back comes just a few days after Tennessee Republicans expelled Jones and Rep. Justin Pearson of Memphis for leading a gun-control protest from the House floor with a bullhorn. The Shelby County Commission is expected on vote on whether to reappoint Pearson on Wednesday.

Their expulsions last week were the latest move by Republican state leaders around the country to openly stifle dissent in a majority Republican statehouse. The actions brought once again to the fore the country’s divisions over gun control, race and freedom of speech.